A “LAZY” postman who failed to deliver almost 9,000 postal items which were found at his home in Birmingham has escaped jail in the run up to Christmas as millions await parcels and cards.

Richard Johnson, of Witton Lodge Road, Erdington, told police when he was arrested that he got into difficulty keeping up with his rounds because they changed each day. He said he had failed to deliver the letters, some of which related to the general election, “out of laziness and habit” and that he realised he had been “getting deeper and deeper into the mire”.

He also said the election material was on behalf of the Conservative Party and that he did not really like that party.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that the 44-year-old had been employed at the Sutton Coldfield delivery office for over six years.

Officers found the undelivered items when they searched his home on an unrelated matter.